Magnetically guided theranostics: montmorillonite-based iron/platinum nanoparticles for enhancing in situ MRI contrast and hepatocellular carcinoma treatment

Ming Hsien Chan, Chih Ning Lu, Yi Lung Chung, Yu Chan Chang, Chien Hsiu Li, Chi Long Chen*, Da Hua Wei*, Michael Hsiao*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

20 Scopus citations

Abstract

In Asia, including Taiwan, malignant tumors such as Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) one of the liver cancer is the most diagnosed subtype. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has been a typical diagnostic method for accurately diagnosing HCC. When it is difficult to demonstrate non-enhanced MRI of tumors, radiologists can use contrast agents (such as Gd3+, Fe3O4, or FePt) for T1-weighted and T2-weighted imaging remain in the liver for a long time to facilitate diagnosis via MRI. However, it is sometimes difficult for T2-weighted imaging to detect small tumor lesions because the liver tissue may absorb iron ions. This makes early cancer detection a challenging goal. This challenge has prompted current research to create novel nanocomposites for enhancing the noise-to-signal ratio of MRI. To develop a method that can more efficiently diagnose and simultaneously treat HCC during MRI examination, we designed a functionalized montmorillonite (MMT) material with a porous structure to benefit related drugs, such as mitoxantrone (MIT) delivery or as a carrier for the FePt nanoparticles (FePt NPs) to introduce cancer therapy. Multifunctional FePt@MMT can simultaneously visualize HCC by enhancing MRI signals, treating various diseases, and being used as an inducer of magnetic fluid hyperthermia (MFH). After loading the drug MIT, FePt@MMT-MIT provides both MFH treatment and chemotherapy in one nanosystem. These results ultimately prove that functionalized FePt@MMT-MIT could be integrated as a versatile drugs delivery system by combining with MRI, chemotheraeutic drugs, and magnetic guide targeting. [Figure not available: see fulltext.].

Original languageEnglish
Article number308
JournalJournal of Nanobiotechnology
Volume19
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - Dec 2021

Keywords

  • Drug delivery system
  • Hepatocellular carcinoma
  • Nanocomposites
  • Superparamagnetic FePt nanoparticles
  • T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging

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